Wind gusts of 300 km/h ! Cyclone Chido completely devastated Mayotte, Saturday 14 December, in just two hours, on a scale never seen in a century: between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., up to 300 kg of pressure per m2 have, suddenly, sprayed all the roofs and bay windows in the North of the island!
Several hundred deaths… clandestine?
“The wind was incredibly violent! The last measurement transmitted by our weather antenna was 226 km/h, just before it was torn off. However, this was sized for resist up to 250 km/h“testifies with dismay, since Mamoudzou, Stéphane Aimeco-founder of the Mahoraise agency tand'm architects.
“With the Venturi effect generated by certain reliefs, it even seems that we have sometimes reached, 300 km/h locally !” Few infrastructures can resist such a force, with regulations setting a threshold limit of 208 kg per m2. “We saw completely twisted construction craneswith their concrete base torn off! The roofs have been gutted and there is no more forest ! Our beautiful endemic forest is decimated…”
a sick which lasted four hours, “dont two excruciating hours ! Quickly, the Mahorais rolled up their sleeves to create strong popular solidaritywithout waiting for relief to be sent from France.” The architects of the island of perfumes have, in particular, mobilized to identify schools that could still play the role of refuge.
“We formed groups of volunteers and traveled the streets to repair as many roofs as possible. we saw a lot of small piles of stones there”that is to say tombs. “Cyclone Chido probably caused several hundred deaths”especially in these slums with such sharp metal sheets, “among the uncounted illegal populations…”
“We must expect to experience a complicated water crisis”
Today, the Mahorais manage to draw a little water in their reservoirs, “using, for example, high-pressure washer motors”lack of electricity. “Alas, first cases of cholera appear!”deplores the architect of Mamoudzou. “We must now expect to experience a complicated water crisis…”
The mayor of Berre-l'Étang plans a lasting recovery of Mayotte
A critical Mahoran situation which has not escaped the associations and mayors of the Salonais region. Thus, the municipality of Lançon-Provence has just organized a collection of basic necessities which has sparked a strong outpouring of generosity. Even republican fraternity near Berre-l'Étangwhere the mayor, Mario Martinetintends to engage in lasting solidarity actions with its fellow overseas citizens.
“Since December 19, we have set up a ballot box in the town hall, where everyone can deposit your donations by check to Secours Populaire”or in favor of another association recognized as being of public utility working for Mayotte. “We also contacted Dzaouzi-Labattoirit's a town of 17,000 inhabitants very similar to ours… And I plan to personalize our solidarity much better, in the long term ! We will discuss this at the next municipal council…”
The Berroise municipal team wishing to set up a particular partnership to support the revival of Mahorese society. “We imagine the supply of drinking water treatment devicesclothing, school books, Berrois agricultural products, or, of course, building materials ! Everything would be done, over time, in collegiality with our partners at Dzaoudzi, including the former mayor, Saïd Omar Oili, is the current senator of Mayotte“specifies the mayor of Berre-l’Étang.
Cyclone Chido unleashed pressure of 1 000 kg on the bay windows!
Mario Martinet also has the know-how ofHomeblok companyin the field ofemergency accommodation, “just like in that of theprofessional integration“. This company reconditions maritime containers to make offices or modular housing, like bricks.
Last April, Homeblok expressed, moreover, the ambition toestablish its second production site, in the department of Mayotte. It remains that it will be necessary to take into account the cultural and climatic specificities of this overseas department: knowing that cyclones like Chido can unleash, from now on, on every roof and bay window of Mahorais citizens, monstrous forces of the order of a ton of pressure…
The senator from Mayotte testifies
From the Mahorese town mentioned by the mayor of Berre-l'Étang, Saïd Omar Oili, senator of Mayottereacts sharply, in the face of humanitarian disaster caused by Cyclone Chido.
“Frankly, here in Dzaoudzi-Labattoir, it’s jI love you!“ The entire north of Mayotte was pulverized by wind gusts that exceeded 250 km/h. “Our population is too young and this is the first time that these Mahorais have experienced such a cataclysm : they no longer have the risk culture…”
“It feels like we’re in a neo-colonial system!”
Then, visibly dismayed, the senator, although close to the presidential majority, cannot contain his indignation. “The prefect launched 68 operations on 15 sites: I wrote to him to request a census of victims, in vain… It feels like a neo-colonial system ! We gave him all the powers”and he issues a decree to prohibit the purchase of sheet metal. “We, the local elected officials, we are kept apart ! For what ?”
We announce 100,000 tarpaulins distributed, “what are the criteria for obtaining ? And who will fix them on our roofs ? Today, the Mahorais are fending for themselves“to repair their gutted roofs and houses. “Since people who don’t know Mayotte want to rebuild it without us ! We don't see anyone coming and everyone is wondering: where is the aid going? ?“
“Debt, for us, Mahorais, is a journey to hell!”
Since December 14, 390,000 bottles of water have been distributed, “but we are 320,000 Mahorais: this only representsa bottle of water per person! SO, people collect rainwater as they can !” The rainy season has started, it is 32°C and household waste is scattered. “We are experiencing a real health disaster…”
Back in the SenateMonday January 6, Saïd Omar Oili wishes “propose the establishment of subsidies for the purchase of construction materialsso that the Mahorais rebuild their municipalities themselves, which would generate economic flow for all of Mayotte.” Car bank loan debt proposed by the executive, “for us, Mahorais, it is a journey to hell !“
